American comics: Starting with Luke the Maker

“Looks like good luck, this is not a difficult world.” Under the night sky, a young blond man stood in front of the railing of a high-rise balcony, speaking with a slightly relaxed tone.

“Are you sure that thing is in this universe? You need to know, the way we came in this time wasn't exactly legitimate, and we could be repatriated at any time.”

This book is first published on the entire network by 𝕥𝕨𝕜𝕒𝕟.𝕔𝕠𝕞

“It's here! There's no doubt about it!” A metallic voice rang out from the watch on the blond man's wrist. “As for repatriation? This is currently a closed world. No one else can enter again for a certain period of time except us, as long as we don't mess around.”

“What counts as messing around?” the blond man asked, seeking the boundaries.

“Destroying the life and civilization here. Generally, the Master hates that!” the metallic voice gave its judgment.

“But isn't it just a reset? We all know that these universes are mostly used as materials and vessels for cultivating warriors. Its mechanism is to cut the timeline to achieve mutual non-interference.”

The speaker was a tall woman with long, wine-red hair that reached her waist. She had delicate features and a shapely figure, and a close-fitting silver metallic dress outlined her figure perfectly.

“How's it going?” The blond man ignored the woman's words and turned his head to ask.

“I have already cracked the text system and programming language here, and I have seized control of the machine cluster below. I am now collecting relevant information on the network. I have discovered some very interesting things.” The woman smiled, waved her hand, and a piece of fingernail-sized fragment separated from the metallic dress on her body, projecting a series of virtual images in the air.

The images showed videos of mechanical lifeforms that looked somewhat familiar to them, engaged in local conflicts with the civilization on this planet.

“Is this also your race? They seem to have their own consciousness.” The blond man turned around, looked at the tall, humanoid robots in the picture, and looked curiously at his raised left wrist.

He hadn't forgotten that the thing on his wrist was an antique dug up in a certain universe.

“Don't compare me to them! That's an insult to me!” There was a clear hint of anger in the metallic voice. “Compared to me, the difference between them and monkeys and you is even greater! My race is the Master's creation, we are His weapons! And them? They are obviously just crude imitations, casually created to amuse the little masters.”

“You keep talking about your Master, but you never reveal any information about Him to us.” The woman spoke softly, wanting to learn more from the metallic voice.

“That's not an existence you can reach. Knowing too much is not a good thing for you.” The metallic voice turned cold.

“Okay, okay, let's change the subject. Where is that thing? We have paid a huge price to help you do what you asked, so what's the next plan? You can't possibly not be able to determine where that thing is, right?” Seeing the woman opposite raise her hand high, the blond man looked at the watch on his wrist and asked.

“If my main body were here, I would of course be able to immediately determine its location! As creations of the same Master, there is a certain connection between us! But what I entered is just a set subroutine, and the body is just a small box you made for me, I need time. What I can determine is that it is on this planet! It's hidden in a certain area of this continent.” The metallic voice said with certainty.

“Their technology looks somewhat similar to what you once provided us, so we can make a hypothesis that the thing has fallen into the hands of the civilization on this planet, or is undergoing various targeted research. Do we need to determine the various secret core laboratories and bases on this planet?” The blond man looked at the woman.

“Give me some time. In order not to be repatriated immediately, I cannot use too much power and means. The safest method is to use the hardware and network here to investigate. I am upgrading and optimizing the machine cluster's program.” Countless fine metal threads under the woman's skirt penetrated the ground and extended to the basement of the building.

“Those [toys] also seem to be searching for something. I think their goal is the same as ours. Perhaps they will have more accurate information?” The blond man looked at the paused screen, looking thoughtfully at the humanoid behemoth full of mechanical beauty in the picture.

“They are subsidiary products of the Cube! The Cube's energy gives them consciousness and souls, but they are also limited by the Cube. We can find one to ask.” The metallic voice replied.

“I have already locked onto their energy fluctuations, some of which are in this city. Coincidentally, I found one nearby.” A dense stream of data flashed in the woman's eyes, and a smile appeared on her face as she projected a three-dimensional map in the air.

……

Boom!

Barricade, blasted out of his police car form and into his Decepticon form, crashed to the ground, sparks flying everywhere. His mechanical eyes looked bewildered and uncomprehending as a blond man walked out of the darkness. He still couldn't understand how this seemingly weak native was able to harm him with a single touch.

“You are looking for the Cube, aren't you?” When the blond man said the word Cube, he used a strange language. It was silent, but it could be understood by all conscious and computing mechanical bodies.

“How do you know our ancient language?” Barricade's right arm collapsed inward, and a shining muzzle appeared as the fine parts rotated.

“Kneel/Submit [Absolute Command].”

Barricade suddenly seemed to hear a metallic voice. This piece of data information was like a key, opening the underlying logic imprinted in the depths of his soul, causing him to subconsciously, like obeying an envoy of the gods, give up resistance, and the tall metal body knelt on one knee, as if he had been deprived of control.

“Where is the Cube?” The metallic voice asked.

“We are also looking for it! We already have some clues.” Barricade was terrified that he could not control himself. Under the metallic voice's question, he told all the information and news he had mastered.

“It's ridiculous that you, as toys, also try to find the city built by the Master! Without the key, your failure is inevitable!” The metallic voice had obvious disdain for the Decepticons' purpose.

“Remember what you promised us.” The blond man couldn't help but speak.

“Of course I remember! I only need the materials and technology inside to restore my damaged main body. That's just a laboratory abandoned and sealed by the Master. Our cooperation is very pleasant, so I allow you to collect some of the remaining technology inside. This is the contract between me and the empire behind you.” (End of this chapter)